Dodgers might be without Kemp until September

July 31, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 12:28 p.m.

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The Dodgers acquired catcher Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named or cash considerations. Butera will report to Triple-A Albuquerque and is likely to be called up to the majors when rosters expand in September. TIM UMPHREY, GETTY IMAGES

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No one will say exactly how long Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp will remain sidelines, but indications are the 28-year-old center fielder could miss the next month while recovering from the left ankle sprain he suffered July 21 in Washington. ROD VEAL, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The Dodgers acquired catcher Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named or cash considerations. Butera will report to Triple-A Albuquerque and is likely to be called up to the majors when rosters expand in September. TIM UMPHREY, GETTY IMAGES

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers are going to be without Matt Kemp for a while.

No one will say exactly how long, but indications are the 28-year-old center fielder could miss the next month while recovering from the left ankle sprain he suffered July 21 in Washington.

Kemp is eligible to be activated from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, but Manager Don Mattingly confirmed Wednesday that he will be out longer.

Mattingly said Kemp's injury was a "lot more serious" than the team originally thought.

General Manager Ned Colletti was asked how he envisioned the Dodgers outfield working out with four players – Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford – and only three spots.

He indicated that won't be an issue for a while because of Kemp's injury.

"By the time we have the four all ready to play, we'll be a few weeks from the end (of the season)," Colletti said.

BUTERA ACQUIRED

Colletti extended his streak of deadline-day deals with a minor acquisition just before the non-waiver trade deadline.

The Dodgers acquired catcher Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named or cash considerations. Colletti has now made a trade on July 31 eight years running.

Butera, on the 40-man roster, will report to Triple-A Albuquerque, with a likely call-up to the majors when rosters expand in September. He likely slots in as the organization's third catcher, behind big leaguers A.J. Ellis and Tim Federowicz and ahead of Triple-A starter John Baker.

Colletti said the Dodgers needed another big league-caliber catcher for depth purposes.

"When you get to this time of year, you don't know where you're going to have an injury and you don't know where your depth is going to be challenged, so you have to be prepared," he said.

After agreeing to a deal with ex-San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson on Tuesday, Colletti indicated that a deadline-beating trade for another reliever would be unlikely.

He confirmed that Wednesday, adding that potential trade partners demanded unreasonable amounts of young talent.

"The relative market for relief pitching was not robust, and the asking price was really robust, I must say," Colletti said.

But he hinted all along at the possibility that a smaller, depth-oriented deal could come to pass, and that's what the acquisition of Butera, 29, represents.

The son of former big league catcher Sal Butera, he has hit just .180 with a .230 on-base percentage in 490 major league at-bats.

RIVERA SPEAKS

Legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera spoke to longtime Dodgers employees before Wednesday's game, as he has done in his final trip to each road city in his farewell season this year.

Speaking candidly before a group of roughly two dozen staffers, Rivera repeatedly called himself "lucky" and "blessed" to be ending his career on a high note. Sporting a 1.64 ERA this season, he said he'd rather retire a year too early than a year too late.

One employee asked Rivera, 43, how to throw his famed cutter. The right-hander placed the man's hand on the ball in the correct grip, and traced it over with a pen so he could practice it later.

VAN SLYKE UP

The Dodgers called up first baseman/outfielder Scott Van Slyke from Triple-A Albuquerque and sent utilityman Elian Herrera down.

While he has played mostly in the outfield with the Dodgers this season, Mattingly said he plans to use Van Slyke as a backup to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez going forward.

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